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About a dozen demonstrators with the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ont. blocked the CN line on their reserve Friday, Dec. 21 to protest the federal government's Bill C-45. They said they staged the impromptu blockade to support the thousands expected to participate in the Idle No More demonstration in Ottawa. (CATHY DOBSON, Sarnia Observer)

A group of natives from Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia pitched a canopy across the tracks of a CN rail spur and blocked train traffic Friday in support of the Idle No More native protest in Ottawa.

The blockade on the reserve began around 8:30 a.m. and was expected to last into the evening, said Chief Chris Plain.

“If the prime minister will not listen to our words, perhaps he’ll pay attention to our actions,” he said.

He and about 15 Aamjiwnaang members parked a pickup truck across the railway line that crosses DeGurse Drive near the Aamjiwnaang First Nation industrial park. They lit a fire and pitched a canopy for the day.

Meanwhile, about 60 other band members were in Ottawa to join the Idle No More rally, a movement they say is gaining international attention.

Idle No More rallies have been staged across Canada for several weeks, including one in London on Wednesday that attracted about 1,000 natives and non-natives.

”Those of us who couldn’t travel, decided spontaneously last night to do this,” said Aamjiwnaang band Coun. Shawn Plain at the blockade.

“This is a peaceful protest,” he said. “The industries that aren’t getting their shipments today will pressure the federal government.

“This is a wake up call for them. We could cause havoc on the highway but the highways are provincial. We’d rather do something that will get the federal government’s attention.”

The line, known as the St. Clair spur, carries CN and CSX trains to several large industries in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley and St. Clair Township.

The line generally accommodates four or five trains a day. One stopped before it reached DeGurse Drive at about 9:30 a.m. Friday because of the blockade, according to Shawn Plain.

“The CN police came along and notified us that we were blocking the train,” he said.

The Idle No More movement is fired by the recent passing of the omnibus budget Bill C-45, which was approved by the Senate in a 50-27 vote.

Aboriginal leaders are accusing the Conservative government of pushing the bill through without consulting them. They say the bill infringes on their treaty rights, compromises ownership of their land and takes away protection for Canada’s waterways.

But Sarnia-Lambton MP Pat Davidson said the Idle No More movement is spreading a lot of “misconceptions.”

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” she said. “The Navigable Waters Act has been changed but it is very old and needed to be updated.

“Bill C-45 has not taken away any environmental protections,” she said.

Davidson said some of the environmental assessment process has been “streamlined” but is still required.

She said she believes the government had “a fair amount of consultation” with Canada’s aboriginals prior to the Senate vote.

“And I’d love to talk to them about it any time.”

Chief Plain said he sent Davidson a memo on Wednesday about his concerns related to Bill C-45 and there was no response.

“I did receive something from Chris and the reply is on its way,” said Davidson.